THE accident and emergency service at Durham's Dryburn Hospital will offer only a limited service while it moves to new quarters next week.
Services will be curtailed from 9pm on Monday, to 10am on Tuesday, while the department moves to the new University Hospital of North Durham.
In-patient wards and support services will be moving from Dryburn Hospital into the new hospital from Monday to Sunday, April 8.
The hospital will take its first patients next Tuesday.
North Durham Health Care NHS Trust acting chief executive Steven Mason said: "Instead of bringing patients to Dryburn Hospital, emergency ambulances will be taking them to other nearby hospitals for 13 hours while the A&E department moves.
"During this time, people who attend the department at Dryburn will be treated, as normal, on the basis on their medical need.
"However, we will be operating a limited service, so non-urgent cases might wait a little longer than usual.
"We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."
If in any doubt about whether you need to go to accident and emergency call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
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